SoLo Lives! Ministry

Why is there a great need for God’s people to fast and pray? The Bible gives us three important reasons for this:

1. TO BE STRONG IN THE LORD. Ephesians 6:10 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.” This is a command.

We need to be strong in the Lord because there is such a thing as spiritual drifting. Come to the Lord for daily strength. Read the Bible everyday for spiritual feeding. The Bible tells us, we should rely not on self-confidence but on God-confidence; not self-reliance but reliance on the Lord.

In our own power, we cannot live the Christian life because it is not only hard, it is impossible. We are a spiritual being in a human body.

Our soul is very precious. Until Jesus comes again, we are in this body and are influenced by it. One hundred years from now, we will not be here anymore but our spirit will live on. Now is the time to make it ready to meet the Lord.

Jesus tells us in Mark 14:38, “Keep watching and praying, that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Prayerlessness is self reliance. But when we pray more, we demonstrate our dependence upon the Lord.

Our fasting and prayer life is a measurement of our spirituality. If we develop a coldness of heart, if we develop a tendency to shy away from becoming excited about the Lord, we ought to fast and pray. It will bring back the fire.

2. TO BE PREPARED FOR WARFARE. We need to be strong because there is warfare. Ephesians 6:12-13: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

We are not fighting against flesh and blood. Satan is the enemy. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Revelations says that Satan is a deceiver. His technique is to control our minds—he does not want us to know the truth. The Bible tells us that we have three enemies: Satan, the world (values), and yourself (flesh). Satan uses our flesh and the world against us. But in Revelation 12:10-11 the Bible tells us that Satan cannot do anything if we learn to walk with the Lord, if we are in Christ. We need to know the truth. Satan is a defeated foe!

Sadly, the rest of the world does not know the truth. What is at stake is their eternal destiny – the souls of people.

To fight our enemy, we do not use physical weapons. Ephesians 6:14-16 says, “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with TRUTH, and having put on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of FAITH with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.”

Therefore, how do we pray? Ephesians 6:18 says, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”

3. TO BE VICTORIOUS. How are we able to draw on the power of God? The Bible tells us what happened to Judah many years ago. 2 Chronicles 20:3 says, “And Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord; and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.” Focus on the Lord and seek help from Him.

See 2 Chronicles 20:15: “Listen all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat. Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.’” What happened was that the Spirit of the Lord came when they were fasting and praying.

2 Chronicles 20:16-17 says, “Tomorrow go down against them…You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf…” God wants to show Himself mighty and strong in your behalf.

2 Chronicles 20:18, 22, 24 says, “And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord.” They worshiped the Lord in the midst of crisis. And when they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. Judah became victorious because God fought the battle for them.

Remember, the battle is not ours, it is God’s. God is bigger than our problems. Let’s humble ourselves before Him. Let’s fast and pray.

Peter Tan-Chi, January 11, 2009